Apparatus for casting ingots.



No. 727,397. PATENTED MAM, 1903.

l A. J. LUSTIG.

APPARATUS POR"`GASTING INGOTS. APPLIoA'TIoN Huil) un. 12. 1901. no mmm.. a v:Mums-auer 1.

ATTORNEY No. 727,397. PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

A. J. 'LUSTIGA APPARATUS PQR CASTING INGoTs.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 1901.

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Patented May 5, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPHUS J. LUSTIG, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR CASTING INGOTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,397, dated May 5, 1903.

Application led April 12, 1901. Serial No. 55,573- (No model.)

T a/ZZ whom, it mn/y concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLPHUs J. LUsTie, a citizen of the United States,vresiding at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Casting Ingots; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the aocompanying drawings, and to figures of referenoe marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in mold-supports for the casting of steel ingots, and more especially for the casting of Bessemer-steel ingots; and this invention has for its principal objects to provide a mold base or support for the purposes and of the character to be hereinafter more fully set forth, to secure a more perfect exclusion of atmospheric air and oxygen from the mold and the molten steel therein during the operations of casting ingots by the admission of a redlicing-gas, such as hydrocarbon gas or other gas having similar properties, into the mold base or support and by the admission of the eX- cessive heat from the metal to the base, causing said gas to enter the molten mass in the mold and give up its carbon to the metal, the gas becoming converted into carbonio acid; but this carbonio acid in contact with the strongly-heated carbon is immediately reconverted into carbonio oxid, which gives up another part of its carbon to the metal, these changes recurring many times in the same order until the Whole mass in the mold is converted into perfect steel and all the carbon from the gas is absorbed to secure the many beneficial results, all of Which Will be evident from the following description of my present invention.

Other objects of this inventionsuch as enabling the use of the mold-support with ingotmolds of different sizes and the facility of withdrawing the ingot from the moldsu pport, as well as the cooling of the mold and moldsupport in the method of producing ingots from Bessemer steel, and the novel construction of support ingblock within the mold-support to facilitate the introduction of the redlicing-gas into the molten mass of steel in the ingot-mold-will all be more fully specified in the following description of the invention.

The invention therefore consists in the novel construction of mold-support and in the various arrangements and combinations, as Well as in the details of the construction of the various parts thereof, all of which will be fully described in the following specification and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a central vertical section of a mold-support and its parts embodying the principles of the present invention with an iugot-mold in position thereon, said mold being represented partly in vertical section and partly in elevation. Fig. is a plan or top View of the mold-support and a horizontal section of the mold upon said support; and Fig. 3 is a like view of the said mold-support and its parts, but with certain keeper of joint-closing plates removed to more clearly illustrate the upper construction 0f the block on which the mold is placed. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the several parts of the mold-support, said section being taken on line a 4 in said Fig. l, a certain arrangement of water passages or ducts shown in some of the other figures of the drawings for sake of clearness being omitted from this View; and Fig. 5 isa similar section of the mold-support with the central block on Which the mold is placed removed to illustrate one arrangement of water passages or ducts for conducting any water that may get into the support during the process-of cooling the Bessemer-steel ingot into an outflow or discharge pipe connected with the said support. Fig. b' is a central vertical section of a mold-support and parts of a modi lied construction, but still embodying the principles of this invention,showing the mold in position on said support.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the said above-described views to indicate corresponding parts.

In the said drawings in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, l indicates the main base or foundation of the mold-support, which consists, essentially, of a base 2 and upWardly-extending IOS and surrounding sides 3, thereby providing a hollow base or foundation. Extending from the inner surfaces of the said sides 3 and said base 2 are supporting-ribs 4, which are formed with the inclined edges 5 for the support of a central block 6, upon which the ingot-mold` is to be placed in the manner and for the purposes hereinafter set forth. These supporting-ribs 4 also serve to properly and centrally place the said block 6 in its position within the said main base or foundation, as will be clearly evident from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings. The said supportingblock 6 is madevfrom east-iron or other similar porous metal and is preferably made in the manner of a truncated pyramid of four sides, its downwardly-tapering sides resting directly upon said ribs, whereby surrounding open spaces 7 are formed, as clearly illustrated in said Fig-4. Leading into one or more of the sides 3 of the main base or foundation and extending into a duct 9 in one of said ribs 4 or any other suitable part of the base or foundation is a gas-conveying pipe 8 or other duct for conveying a reducing-gas, as hydrocarbon or other gas, into a duct 10 in the block 6, and thence into a suitablydisposed gas-receiving chamber or duct l1 in the under portion of the said block 6. This gasreceiving chamber or duct 11 is open at the bottom, thereby establishing a communication with the chamber formed by the surrounding Walls 3 and the bottom 2 of the main base or foundation. A free passage for the gas is thereby provided from the chamber or duct 11 into the open spaces 7 to the upper surroundingr and marginal edge of the said block. Resting directly upon the upper surface of the said block Gis the usual form of mold 12, the said block being provided in its upper surface with any desirable number otl grooves or depressions 13, which lead from the marginal edges of the block 6 toward the middle of the said block, but are of such lengths that they terminate directly beneath the lower surrounding surface of the mold resting upon the said block 6, as clearly g illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. As shown in the drawings, the main base or foun- (lation is formed in the upper edges of the surrounding sides 3 with recessed portions 1-:t for the reception of the marginal edges of certain gas-retaining plates or covers 15, whichl are placed upon the upper surface of the block 6, so as to form covers for the grooves or depressions 13 in said block, and thereby provide with the said grooves or depressions 13 suitable ducts for conveying and directing the gas from the surrounding spaces 7 directly beneath the surrounding lower edge of the mold 12 and directly into the molten mass in said mold. These plates or covers 15 are preferably made as illustrated in Fig. 2, being mitered, as shown, so as to surround the outer lower portion of the mold and being also provided with suitable handles 16 or other means for lifting the said vease? plates from the mold-support when necessary.

VThese plates or covers 15 are of such size and ing the casting process are permitted, and' whereby when the block becomes heated the reducing-gas is permitted to freely pass into the mold and through the molten mass therein and, further, to the complete exclusion of atmospheric air through the joints, the same being thus fully protected, which would otherwise cause the production of ammonia and carbonic-oxid gas to the detriment of producing a perfect and homogeneous ingot.

The supporting-block 6 is preferably provided with a centrally-arranged opening 17, which is of a smaller cross-area at the bottom than at the top, and whereby a shoulder 18 is provided in said opening, as shown. Resting directly upon this shoulder and approximately filling this central opening in the said block 6 is a central plug 19, made of steel or other suitable material, upon which the molten metal is poured during the process of casting and is withdrawn from the block 6 during the withdrawal of the ingot from the mold by remaining fast to the bottom of the ingot, and the opening thus provided in the supporting-block 6 also facilitating the cooling of the block, as will be clearly under-- stood. Prior to the next casting operation this plug 19, which has just been removed, is replaced by another plug, and the next casting operation can then be proceeded with. To prevent the molten metal when it isV first poured into the mold from owing into the joints or crevices between the parts and filling the same, the said joints or crevices are preferablylined with cardboard 20. This arrangement of cardboard permits of the plug 19 to be properly centered and provides for a surrounding space through which the gas can readily pass into the bottom of the mold. When the molten metal is poured into the mold this cardboard is immediately charred, and the joint or crevice, were it not for the charred cardboard, would close up tightly as soon as the metal expands; but the carbon which is produced by the charred cardboard is compressed in place and still permits the passage of the gas from the heated parts of the mold-support into the mold and through the metal therein.

Of course itwill be evident that with the same mold-support I may use plates or covers 15 of different sizes, according to the szeand width of the mold used.

In the method of casting ingots from Bessemer steel it becomes necessary to cool the mold b v dashing cold water upon it. In order that the water that may get into the main base or foundation may be quickly removed from the chamber of said base, I have provided the bottom 2 of the said main base or foundation with an arrangement of channels 21, which incline from the one inner wall of the said base to the other inner wall and com- IOO IIO

1n unicate with a cross-channel 22, into which the water passes and is conducted therefrom through a waste-pipe 23. A valve or stopcock 24 maybe placed in the said pipe, which is closed during the casting operations to prevent any escape of the reducing-gas from the inner chamber of the said main base or foundation.

The mold 12 employed with the hereinabove-described mold-support may be of any known construction and is preferably recessed in its sides, as at 25, being provided in said recesses with steel plates 26, which are secured in position by means of bolts 27, screwed into the sides of the mold and which pass through slots 2S in the said plates to allow for proper expansion and contraction. When the said mold has been arranged in its position upon the central block 6 and the plates or cover-sections 15 have been placed about the lower portions of the mold and above the exposed parts of the block, so as to cover the grooves or depressions 13, and thereby provide the gas -conveying passages, as hereinabove stated, a reducing-gas, such as hydrocarbon gas or hydrogen gas or any other gas of a similar nature, is admitted through the pipe S and passages 9 and 10 into the central duct or chamber 1l in the bottom of the block 6. The gas immediately fills the chambered part of the main base or foundation and drives or expels all atmospheric air from the hollow base or foundation to the complete exclusion of any atmospheric air through the several joints or crevices between the several parts of the device, thereby fully preventingany production of ammoniaand other deleterious gases when the molten mass is poured into the mold. The molten metal is poured into the mold 12 through the open cover upon the mold in the usual manner. The heat from the molten mass is soon transmitted to the several parts of the mold-snpport, and the reducing-gas passes through the several joints, as well as through the distended pores of the metal block, by diffusion, into the bottom of the mold and through the molten metal therein. The carbon contained in the reducing-gas is fully taken up by the metal, while the gas in the chambered or hollow base prevents any influx of atmospheric oxygen or air through the surrounding crevices into the mold, as will be clearly evident. After the ingot has been cast and the mold has been cooled by the pouring thereon or the flooding of the mold and its base with cold water the water which may get into the base is drawn off through the pipe 23 by opening the cock 24.

The chemical changes mentioned in the preamble to this specification, known as the process of cementatiom with my construction of mold-support and manner of admitting the reducing-gas takes place very rapidly and during the first stage of pouring the molten mass into the ingot mold, the deleterious gases being almost immediately forced from the upper surface of the molten mass; but during the second stage, while a crust is being formed over the molten mass, the beneficial gases liberated and taken up by the molten massare imprisoned by the said crust, and are consequently retained in the cooling ingot, while all further admission of deleterious gases into the bottom of the mold is entirely prevented, due to the hollow base or foundation being entirely filled with the hydrocarbon or other reducing gas employed.

In Fig. 6 I have representedaslightly-modied form of construction of mold-support, but which still embodies the main features of this invention. In this construction of mold-support the main base or foundation and the central block 6 are made in the manner set forth in my previous patent, No. 672,447, in which the central block 6 is provided with the several gas-conveyingV passages or ducts 29, 30, and 31, from which the reducing-gas passes into the surrounding spaces 7 in the lnanner set forth in the said Patent No. 672,447. The central block in this construction is also provided inits upper surfacewith the raised portions 32 and the channels 33, which are for the purpose of collecting the reducing-gas and allowing it to pass through the several joints or orevices into the bottom of the mold when the molten metal is poured into the mold. In this arrangement and construction of the several parts 1 have arranged upon the central block 6 a supporting-plate 34, which ispreferably made rectangular in outline to conform with the cross-section of the mold 12 to be placed thereon. This plate 34 is also provided with a correspondinglyshaped depression or recess 35 and a surrounding shoulder 36. Resting directly in said depression and upon the shoulder is a block 37, made from cast-iron or any other porous material. This block is provided with a centrally-disposed depression 38 and shoulder 39, in which is placed and rests upon the shoulder 39 a plug 40, similar in construction to and for the purposes of the plug 19, illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. These several parts are all arranged as illustrated in said Fig. 6 and permit of the proper expansion and contraction, as will be clearly eviden t, the several joints being filled with cardboard 20, as shown, and which is for the purposes hereinabove described. The supporting-plate 34 is formed with the surrounding gas passage or chamber 4l, into which the reducing-gas is fed from the hollow main base or foundation by means of a duct or ducts 43, the said chamber 41 being closed by plates or covers 42 for retaining the gas in said duct to the exclusion ofthe atmospheric air or oxygen into the crevices or joints at the lower end of the mold. This form of mold-base is more especially adapted in the casting of crucible-steel ingots, and it will be clearly evident from an inspection of said Fig. 6 of the drawings that the cast metal within the mold is prevented from being decarbonized, and

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any oxid that may have formed during the process of pouring orotherwise is fully deoxidized, and all oxygen is driven off during the first stage of casting and before the crust is formed upon the top of the cooling mass of duid steel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination,with an ingot-mold,and a hollow support constructed to hold a red ucinggas, of a mold-supporting block on which the said mold is placed, means within said hollow support on which said mold-supporting block rests, said block having gas-passages extending from the marginal edges of the said block to points beneath the lower surrounding edge of the mold, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination,with an ingot-mold,and ahollow support constructed to hold a reducing-gas, of a mold-supporting block on which the said mold is placed, means within said hollow support on which said mold-support ing block rests, said block having grooves forming gas-passages which extend from the marginal edges of said block to points beneath the lower surrounding edge of the mold, and covers arranged over said grooves, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with an ingot-mold, of a supporting-block on which the mold is supported, a gas-receiving chamber in lthe said block, a hollow support in which said block is arranged, means connected with said hollow support for conducting a gas into the said chamber in said block, and gas-passages in said block leading beneath the lower surrounding edge of the mold, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4i. The combination, with an ingot-mold, of a supporting-blockon which the mold is supported, a gas-receiving chamber in the said block, a hollow support in which said block is arranged, and means connected with said hollow support for conducting a gas into the said chamber in said block, said block having gas-passages extending from the marginal edges of the block to points beneath the lower surrounding edge of the mold, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, with an ingot-mold, of a supporting-block on which the mold is supported, a gas-receiving chamber in the said block, a hollow support in which said block is arranged, means connected with said hol- ,low support for conducting a gas into the said chamber in the said block,said block having grooves forming gas-passages which extend from the marginal edges of said block to points beneath the lower surrounding edge of the mold, and covers arranged over said grooves, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with an ingot-mold, of a supporting-block on which the mold is supported, said block havinga centrally-disposed opening provided with an internal shoulder,

and a plug inl said opening resting upon the said shoulder, a hollow support in which said block is arranged, means connected with said hollow support for conducting agas into said hollow support, a chamber in said block adapted to receive the gas from said hollow support, and gas-passages in said block leading beneath the lower surrounding edge of the mold, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, with an ingot-mold, of a supporting-block on which the mold is supported, said block having a centrally-disposed opening provided with an internal shoulder, and a plug in said opening resting upon the said shoulder, a hollow support in which said block is arranged, means connected with said hollow support for conducting a gas into said hollow support, a chamber in said block, adapted to receive the gas from said hollow support, and said block having gas-passages extending from the marginal edges of the block to points beneath thelower surrounding edge of the mold, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

S. The combination, withan ingot-mold, of a supporting-block on which the mold is supported, said block having a centrally-disposed .opening provided with an internal shoulder,

and a plug in said opening resting upon the said shoulder, a hollow support in which said block is arranged, means connected with said hollow support for conducting a gas into said hollow support, a chamber in said block, adapted to receive the gas from said hollow support, said block having grooves forming gas-passages which extend from the marginal edges of said block to points beneath the lower surrounding edge of the mold, and covers arranged over said grooves, substantially as -and for the purposes set forth.

9. The combination, with an ingot-mold, of a chambered supporting-block on which the mold is supported, a hollow support, ribs in said support on which said block is arranged, means connected with said hollow support for conducting a gas into the said chamber in said block, and gas-passages in said block leading beneath the lower surrounding edge of the mold, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. The combination,with an ingot-mold,of a chambered supporting-block on which the mold is supported, a hollow support, ribs in said support on which said block is arranged, means connected with said hollow support for conducting a gas into said chamber in said block, and said block having gas-passages extending from the marginal edges of the block to points beneath the lower surrounding edge of the mold, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The combination,with aningot-mold, of a chambered supporting-block on which the mold is supported, a hollow support, ribs in said support on which said block is arranged, means connected with said hollow support IOO IIO

`for conducting a gas into said chamber in said block, said block having,r grooves forming gas-passages which extend from the marginal edges of said block to points beneath the lowei` surrounding; edge of the mold, and covers arranged over said grooves, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

I2. The combination,with an ingot-mold,of a supporting-block on which the mold is supported,said block having a centrally-disposed opening provided with an internal shoulder, a plug in said opening resting upon the said shoulder, and a lling of cardboard in the joints between said plug and the supportingblock, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. The combination, with an ingot-mold, a hollow support, means in said support on which the mold is placed, water-conveying Channels 21 extending from one sideof the said hollow support to the other side thereof and in the bottom of said support, and a water-conveying pipe leading from the side of said support and provided with a cock, sub stantially as and for the purposes set forth.

let. The combination, with an ingot-mold, a hollow support, means in said support on which the mold is placed, water-conveying channels 2l extending from one side of the said hollow support to the other side thereof, water-ducts 22 arranged in the bottom of said support, at right angles, or approximately so, to the said channels 21, and a water-conveying pipe leading from the side of said support and said ducts 22 and provided with a cook, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of April, 1901.

ADOLPI-IUS J. LUSTIG.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, GEO. D. RICHARDS. 

